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Jerusalem has hotels catering to every budget and class. During my two trips to the city, I’ve stayed at three different hotels.
Grand Court Hotel
The best place I’ve stayed in Jerusalem is the Grand Court Hotel. We spent five nights there with a group in November 2022. The hotel is about a 20 minute walk from the Old City and is perfect for large groups.
The Grand Court Hotel has quiet and comfortable rooms, but some minor details could use upgrades. I was able to get a good night of sleep, the air conditioning was good, and I liked the water pressure in the shower.
The hotel has a huge dining room and buffet. I was a little worried about the food but it was delicious and there was a nice variety every night. The only thing I didn’t like was the dessert table. Everything looked good but most of them tasted like cardboard.
Prima Royale Hotel
Our first five nights in Jerusalem in October 2019 were at the Prima Royale Hotel, which is about a 20 minute walk to the Jaffa Gate. It was not a good experience for us our the rest of our group. It’s not worth staying there at all.
First of all, service was rude. When one group member realized there was no complimentary bottle of water in his room, he called the front desk who responded with “I don’t care”. That’s one of many incidents.
Next, the room was nothing like the photos. Everything looked nice on the surface but digging a little deeper it seemed like the room was falling apart. The room wasn’t properly cleaned and there were hairs on the fresh towels.
Finally, the food was inedible. Dinner and breakfast were included in our group package and it seemed the quality of food got worse every day. We would have been better off finding a restaurant, but during Yom Kippur and Sukkot, everything nearby was closed. The best thing about the hotel was the rooftop terrace. It was a great place to wind down, especially in the evenings, and there were nice views of the city.
NHE Machne Yehuda Apartments
After the Prima Royale, we stayed three nights at NHE Machne Yehuda Apartments. It’s located on Jaffa Road between Davidka Square and the Mahane Yehuda Market.
It was a little difficult to check in because we didn’t have a cell phone to contact reception, but we eventually got in and the experience was fine from there. Staff was friendly and helpful, and we even got an upgraded room for one night because our original room was still occupied.
It wasn’t the cleanest place to stay, but for the price it was comfortable and the kitchenette came in handy. The fantastic location was a big plus, with a light rail station and a good selection of restaurants just a few steps away.
